Starting in the upcoming 2025-2026 school year, freshmen will have the opportunity to enroll in their first AP (Advanced Placement) course; AP Human Geography, otherwise known as AP HUGS. Previously the only advanced courses available to them were honors courses.
“I think this is a phenomenal opportunity. It’s one of my first things as a principal, I noticed [was a class] we didn’t have, so I wanted to work with the team and see what it would take to bring on” said SJHHS Principal Cina Abedzadeh.
AP courses familiarize students with college level coursework, boost their GPA, and give them a chance to earn college credit if they receive a sufficient score on the AP exam at the end of the school year.
In past years, the first AP class available to underclassmen was AP European History in their sophomore year, but it is fairly difficult and may be an abrupt introduction. Fortunately, AP HUGS is an entry level AP class specifically for freshmen. This course will expose them to the basics and expectations of an AP course and the workload before they take more difficult ones later on.
“I feel like it’s a great class to bring humans together to remind us that we’re all part of this growing planet and we all need to learn how to get along together with the finite resources that we have,” said Jamie Gonzalez, the Language Immersion Program Coordinator.
There will also be a two-way immersion AP HUGS, for bilingual students who want to take the course in Spanish. It also correlates with the goals of the language immersion program by creating global citizens who are well-versed in culture and tradition.
Considering how the AP test at the end of the school year will be given in English, Jamie Gonzalez, the projected two-way immersion AP HUGS teacher, has assured that the content will transfer over very smoothly from Spanish to English. Nonetheless, she does intend to incorporate English content when necessary to teach the students specialized English terminology for the AP exam.
Students who take AP HUGS will receive A-G credit, which is academic credit many colleges require for applicant eligibility. However, students will receive elective credit rather than credit for social science.
The implementation of AP HUGS will also create slight changes in a student’s traditional course of studies (only applicable to incoming freshmen). It will replace 9th grade Honors World History, so during a student’s sophomore year, they will be required to either take World History or AP European History.
“I’m very excited to face the challenge. It’s going to be a lot of work but I’m excited to see how the freshman rise to the occasion,” said Gonzalez.
Ultimately, these changes and enhancements are all catered to student success. According to Challenge Success, “students who take AP courses tend to earn better grades in college, work harder, take less time to graduate, and are generally more likely to succeed in college.”
SJHHS is opening a new door of opportunity with AP Human Geography for students to not only challenge themselves, but to excel in their future pursuits.
“I hope to transition smoothly, and I hope students see the benefits of it sooner than later,” said Abedzadeh.
